1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an energy absorber for load carrying flexible pulling means, for example, belts or ropes, preferably for a safety belt system, comprising a friction brake around which the pulling means are at least partly wrapped around.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Braking devices for pulling means are known in which the belt is mechanically strongly clamped between clamping jaws when the braking device is activated, and thereby prevents further pull-out of the belt. With this type of clamping, the pulling means, for example, the web of the belt is locally very strongly squeezed so that after use over a period of time, or at the occurrence of very strong forces, the pulling means gets damaged at this spot, thus creating the danger that the pulling means cannot sustain extreme loads any more. Braking devices are known, in restraining systems for safety belts, wherein the belt is partially wrapped around brake rollers a few times, so that in case of activation, i.e. at the occurrence of a great load, the belt is braked by the adhesive friction between the belt surface and the roller surface. To achieve a non-slipping blocking of the belt, a great number of sequentially arranged rollers is required, resulting in a device of large size.